DBA Elects New Leaders

News EditorIndustry News

The Dairy Business Association (DBA) announces the results of their board of directors elections, held Thursday, December 4th, in Madison, Wis.

Jerry Meissner was re-elected to DBA’s board of directors for a third term. Meissner owns Norm-E-Lane, Inc., a 2,000-cow operation near Chili, Wis., with his brother David, son Josh, and nephew Jeremy. The farm has been in the Meissner family since 1950. He has been a DBA member for six years and began his term as president of the DBA board of directors in January 2008.

Newly elected to the board was dairy producer Jim Winn. Winn is a part-owner and manager of Cottonwood Dairy in South Wayne, Wis. He began farming in 1976 at the age of 19 and joined forces with his neighbors, Randy and Brian Larson in 1998. The team now milks 1,400 cows.

Also elected to the board was corporate member Jen Keuning, an environmental scientist at Conestoga-Rovers and Associates (CRA). For the past two years, she has worked with numerous dairy farms in Wisconsin on the management and coordination of dairy facility design projects, waste storage facility sizing and designing, nutrient management and the development of comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs). Prior to joining the staff at CRA, Keuning worked as a UW-Extension dairy agent for Kewaunee County.

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review
The cash dairy markets continue to garner a lot of attention, particularly butter. The 40-pound block cheese price closed the first Friday of December at $1.79 per pound, down 1 1/4-cents on the week, and 40 1/4-cents below that week a year ago. The 500-pound barrel price closed at $1.7475, down 4 1/4-cents on the week, and 41 1/4-cents below a year ago. 11 cars of block traded hands on the week and six of barrel. The lagging NASS U.S. average block price, inched up 2 cents, to $1.6927. Barrel averaged $1.7393, up 4.1 cents.

Cash butter closed Friday at $1.2575 per pound, down a whopping 24 1/4-cents on the week, and 7 1/4-cents below a year ago. Buyers sat on their hands until Friday, when one car traded. NASS butter averaged $1.5379, down 5.2 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged 87.34 cents per pound, up 2.2 cents, and dry whey averaged 18.61 cents, down 0.5 cent.

Price support purchases for the week totaled 12 million pounds of nonfat dry milk and raised the year’s cumulative total to 85.4 million pounds.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Holstein Association USA Hosting Regional Member Meetings

News EditorHolstein Association, Industry News

Holstein Association USA, Inc. announces their annual Regional Member meetings.

Members are encouraged to attend the meeting in their area to provide input on the Association’s business and programs. Staff members and directors will be in attendance at each meeting to present the latest news of the Association and answer questions from members.

The dates and locations for the meetings are:

  • Region 7, December 6, 2008 – Best Western Saddleback Inn, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 1, December 10, 2008 – Doubletree Bradley International Airport Hotel, Windsor Locks, Conn., 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 4 January 16, 2009 – Iredell County Center, Statesville, N.C., 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 8, January 27, 2009 – Holiday Inn Boise Airport, Boise, Idaho, 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 9, January 30, 2009 – John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino, Reno, Nev., 9 a.m.-12 noon
  • Region 3, February 13, 2009 – Hampton Inn Marysville, Marysville, Ohio, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Region 5, February 27, 2009 – Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc, Wis., 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 6, March 10, 2009 – Sioux Falls Convention Center, Sioux Falls, S.D., 1-4 p.m.
  • Region 2, March 13, 2009 – Wingate by Wyndham Hotel, Belcamp, Md., 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Annual Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge

News EditorCompetition, Education, Industry News

The Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge held its sixth annual competition October 30-November 1 in Harrisburg, Pa. Nearly 110 students participated from the following colleges: Alfred State College, Cornell University, Delaware Valley College, Morrisville State College, The Pennsylvania State University, SUNY Cobleskill, University of Maine, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, Vermont Technical College, University of Guelph from Ontario, Canada, and McGill University from Quebec, Canada.

The Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge is an innovative multi-day event designed by a team of industry and university professionals to promote a vibrant future for the dairy industry. Working in mixed-university teams of four or five students, contestants assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm and presented recommendations for improvement to a panel of judges and participating farm families. The objective of this evaluation process is to create a real-life situation that stresses the importance of teamwork and professionalism.

Team rankings were: Silver – Cargill, Inc., Chris Hansen, Cows Come First, DHI Provo, Diamond V, Genex Cooperative, Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consultants, Northeast Ag and Feed Alliance, Pa. Center for Dairy Excellence, Prince AgriProducts, and Schering-Plough Animal Health; Gold – Agway Foundation, Alltech, Farm Credit System Foundation, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Northeast Dairy Producers’ Association, Northeast Farm Credit Ag Enhancement, and Select Sire Power; and Platinum – AgChoice Farm Credit, Dairy One, and Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association; Don Rogers Platinum – Adisseo and Blue Seal Richer Feeds. Don Rogers Awards are given to the “best of the best,” symbolizing Don’s commitment to the Dairy Challenge and Dairy Industry.

Lee Joins Progressive Dairy

News EditorAgribusiness, Company Announcement, Industry News

Congratulations to Karen Lee who has been named as an editor of Progressive Dairy Publishing. Lee, whose roots grow deep in Wisconsin agriculture, will broaden the scope of editorial coverage for all four of the company’s agricultural magazines.

Most recently, Lee served as managing editor of Agri-View, the leading weekly agricultural newspaper in Wisconsin. She held that position for two years, following three-and-a-half years as the publication’s assistant editor and a year as the editorial intern.

Lee, a former 4-H and FFA member, grew up on a family dairy farm in Lake Mills, Wis. Lee’s passion for agriculture led her to the University of Wisconsin – Madison where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism and dairy science. While attending college, she helped as her family moved its dairy’s location 20 miles to Waterloo, Wis., and increased the herd size from 100 to 250 milking cows.

Lee is active in promoting dairy by serving on the Cows on the Concourse committee, planning a popular June Dairy Month event in Madison, Wis. She is also involved with the local and statewide FFA alumni organizations and serves on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association.

Lee joins the company of Progressive Dairy Publishing’s three other editors. She will work from her home in Edgerton, Wis., where she resides with her husband, Ryan.

Sapuyo Acquires Weston Foods

News EditorDairy Business, Industry News, International

Saputo, based in Canada, has completed the transaction to acquire Neilson Dairy, the dairy division of Weston Foods also of Canada.

The C$465m (US$372m) acquisition, first announced on 22 October, will enable Saputo to increase its presence in Ontario in the markets for fluid milk and cream, the company said yesterday (1 December).

Weston Foods manufactures, sells and distributes – primarily in Ontario – fluid milk and dairy beverages, cream products and non-dairy creamers, butter, yogurt, juices and drinks under the Neilson brand and other brands.

Neilson Dairy employs around 390 people at its two facilities located in Halton Hills and Ottawa, Ontario, and generates annual sales of around C$600m and annual earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of around C$50m.

December is the New July?

News EditorIce Cream

‘Tis the season for ice cream and the folks over at the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Journal have a lot going on! Be sure to check in with their blog this month to keep up-to-date on all their ice cream happenings!

  • The finalists in our Ultimate Holiday Recipe Contest will be posted here on December 8-11 and voting will begin to determine the champion!
  • Our “12 Days of Ice Cream” celebration will return once again to the Ice Cream Journal. That means one new entry and one great prize every day during the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Stay tuned!
  • Special holiday flavors of Turkey Hill Ice Cream are back! Of course, we’re talking about our annual Egg Nog and Peppermint Stick varieties.
  • Way back in February we asked everyone to send us their best photos of loved ones (human or otherwise) enjoying Turkey Hill ice cream or iced tea. The best photos would be featured in our annual Turkey Hill calendar. The response was overwhelming. After sifting through hundreds of submission, we were finally able to narrow it down to 13 finalists – one for each month and one for the cover. If you’d like to receive the calendar (it’s free!) please call 1-800-MY-DAIRY or email our customer service department using the “Contact Us” feature on the website.

NMPF Send Comments in Response to EPA

News EditorGovernment, Industry News

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) joined a coalition of agricultural groups in opposing a tentative plan to tax livestock in order to mitigate the greenhouse gases they emit. In comments submitted in response to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR), NMPF pointed out the negative consequences that could occur if EPA proceeds to rulemaking with this ANPR.

NMPF expressed concern that the negative consequences for animal agriculture are potentially large, and could result in a substantial fee being paid by producers if the EPA proceeds with its plan. In fact, NMPF pointed out that the imposition of GHG standards will have the perverse effect of stifling further innovation by dairy producers, hindering work with the research and extension community, and reducing the risk taking involved in the industry’s continual efforts to reduce costs and increase profitability.

NMPF offered statistical examples of how well animal agriculture and the farming sector has reduced or held GHG emissions constant relative to the amount of food produced to satisfy the needs of consumers in the U.S. and worldwide. These include:

• Animal agriculture’s GHG emissions from 1990 to 2005 have remained nearly constant, increasing by only about 3.5% since 1990, while over the same period total U.S. meat production has increased 50%, milk production has increased almost 20%, and egg production has increased about 32%.

• While animal agriculture has been reported by the United Nations as responsible for 18% of GHG emissions worldwide, animal feeding operation systems more similar to U.S.-style operations are reported by the U.N. as accounting for only 5% of GHG emissions worldwide.

• Animal agriculture in the U.S. does even better than its counterpart systems worldwide, as it was directly responsible for about 2.5% of total US emissions in 2007 as reported by the EPA.

• Between 1948 to the present, while the manure generated by U.S. meat-producing animals has been reduced in total by 25%, the production of meat from the animal herd has been increased 700%.

• The U.S. dairy system is today supplying consumers’ needs for dairy products with about one-third of the GHG emissions generated by the system in 1944 per pound of milk produced.

Ten Young Jersey Breeders Honored

News EditorCompetition, Education, Jersey Association

Ten young people have been honored for their accomplishments in the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. The association provides cash awards totaling $3,000, with the winner receiving $600.

The contest honors outstanding achievement by junior Jersey breeders in four areas: work with Registered Jerseys™, related dairy activities, relative progress, and future goals. They were selected from 14 outstanding youth nominated by state Jersey associations, based on their cumulative record through December 31, 2007.

The winner, Aaron Michael Horst, is the son of Kevin and Linda Horst of Chambersburg, Pa. A senior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, he is the owner of 12 Registered Jersey™ cows, eight scored Excellent, with a 2007 AJCA lactation average of 14,769 lbs. milk, 749 lbs. fat, and 541 lbs. protein. Aaron has served internships with Jersey Marketing Service as winner of the Fred Stout Experience Award, and also with ABS Global Inc. His plans are to enter the A.I. industry after graduation.

Tyler Lee Boyd of Parrottsville, Tenn., ranked second in the contest. The son of David and Deborah Boyd, he is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University majoring in biology with an emphasis in genetics. His herd consists of 26 milking cows (three Excellent, 22 Very Good) and 29 replacement heifers. In 2007 the DHIR average on 21 lactations was 14,864 lbs. milk, 667 lbs. fat, and 526 lbs. protein.

Jessica Stiles, Boonsboro, Md., ranked third. She is the daughter of Janet Stiles and the late Tracy Stiles. Her herd consists of 17 milking cows, with average production of 19,681 lbs. milk, 938 lbs. fat, and 711 lbs. protein. Over the years she has won many different awards including high placings in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest.

Ranking fourth through tenth in the contest were:

Katherine Ann Rector of Turlock, Calif., a third-year student at California Polytechnic State University studying dairy science and ag journalism; Neal Frerichs, La Grange, Texas, a student at Texas A&M University working on a Bachelor’s degree in dairy science; Ashley Messing, Bad Axe, Mich., a senior at Michigan State University; Christine Lee Wagner, Moscow, Pa., a May 2008 graduate of Delaware Valley College who has returned to work on the family dairy operation, Tripp Lee Farm; Sara LaFever, Sparta, Tenn., the 2005 National Jersey Queen who graduated from Tennessee Tech University in the spring of 2008 and has returned to management responsibilities at her family’s LaLu Farm; the late Bradley Frerichs, La Grange, Texas, a successful participant in dairy cattle judging contests and leader in his local 4-H club; and Logan J. Horst, Chambersburg, Pa., sophomore at the Pennsylvania State University majoring in agribusiness management.

Weekly CWT Export Update

News Editorcwt, Export

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has announced their updated export bids for the past week.

All four bids were accepted from Dairy Farmers of America of Kansas City, Mo. One was for
the export of 72 metric tons (158,733 lbs.) of butter to Mexico. Another was for 60 metric tons
(132,277 lbs.) of whole milk powder to Mexico. And two bids were accepted for exports of
anhydrous milkfat: 126 metric tons (277,782 lbs.) to Panama and 108 metric tons (238,099 lbs.)
to Mexico.

CWT will pay an export bonus to the bidders, only when delivery of the product is verified by
the submission of the required documentation. In addition, a previously-accepted bid for 900
metric tons (1.98 million lbs.) of whole milk powder was cancelled.

With these accepted bids, CWT’s total 2008 export obligations are: butter, 25,499 metric tons
(56.2 million lbs.); cheese, 1,285 metric tons (2.8 million lbs.); whole milk powder, 748 metric
tons (1.6 million lbs.); and anhydrous milkfat, 10,711 metric tons (23.6 million lbs.). The milk
equivalent total of these products is 1.96 billion pounds.